Political Quotes

“The two of you, I think, are the only two former Members with whom I have not served. And, unfortunately, I never served with Speaker Michel. I served with Minority Leader Michel, but I wish I had served with Speaker Michel, one of the great Americans with whom I have served. I think Bob Michel is the quintessential example of what a Member of Congress ought to be: civil, committed to his party and to his principles, but committed above all to his country and to his family. Bob, it was an honor to serve with you, and it is an honor to be your friend. Thank you very much for your service. To all of you who made this institution what it is today and those of us who are continuing to make it what it ought to be, we are not doing that job very well, for the most part. Although, I will say this, that Speaker Boehner is trying to make that happen and, to the extent that we work together, we do. But it is harder and harder, as you know, because the ideological differences between the parties have become more substantial than they were, certainly when I came here in 1981. Jim Blanchard and I served on the Financial Services Committee together. It was then the Banking Committee. But we are trying to work together to do what is best for our country. I think the country believes its board of directors is not working nearly as well as it ought to.…”